Concealed doorcheck



- Feb. 14, 1933. A H. T, WILLIAMS CONCEALED DOORCHECK Filed Dec. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i IV awww Feb. 14, 1933. A. H. T. WILLIAMS CONCEALED DOORCHECK Filed Deo. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Vdisplacement of the liquid. `being adapted to impose substantially no re- Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR H. T. WILLIAMS, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROY FELDENHEIIVIEB, OF

PORTLAND', OREGON CONCEALED DOOR-CHECK Application led December 29, 1930. fSerial No. 505,299.

My invention relates to devices for closing Vand for controlling the closing movements of a door, commonly known as door checks. A

The door checks in present use are secured to the side of the door and connected by a closing arm to the door frame and are consequently conspicuous and tend to mar the finished appearance of a room or building and for this reason are frequently not used when they would otherwise be desirable.

Therefore the object of my invention is to provide a simple, but efiicient and economically manufactured door check consisting of but few parts adapted to be contained entirely within the door members and thereby concealed from view.

It is impractical to locate the present door checks entirely within the door, so that they will be concealed, first, because of their size, and second because they are provided with closing arms of considerable length, having a pitman like movement which is laterally much greater than the thickness of the door.

A further and more particular object of my invention is to provide a door check in which the checking force is effected by imposing the resistance. of a non-compressible liquid to the movement of the checking element; the speed of the closing movementbeing regulated by the interval required for the Such means also sistance to the opening of the door.

A further object of my invention is to provide a door check adapted to be located without change in either the door or the frame, as may appear most desirable, the latter arrangement being preferable in new construction, since it would then be easier to install the door checkin the door frame as it is built in, rather thanto mortisethe door itself.

I attain my objects in a door check comprising a housing, provided with a lineal guideway and an annular chamber having a lower E end exterior cavity for holding a liquid, a

member reciprocable in said guideway, and an articulate connection therefrom to a door member, a spring-controlled annular memberoscillatable in said chamber, said annular member provided with a radial arm engaging These and other incidental objects of `my i invention the details of construction and mode of operation are hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary transverse section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 through a door and casing and illustrates how my door check 1s installed therein; y n F 1g. .2 shows a section taken on the line 2-'2 of Fig. 1 and illustrates further details of construction;

Fig. 3 shows a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fi 0'. 4L shows a perspective view of the antifriction means on which the spring is mounted, removed from the device;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the housing of my door check with its parts removed;

Fig. 6 shows the removable sidewall of ,the housing Fig. 7 shows a perspective view o'f the crank element removed from the device;

Fig. 8 shows aL perspective view of the closing arm and slide Fig. 9 shows in a perspective view how a door may be mortised for having my door check installed;

Fig.' 10 shows a fragmentary, perspective view of a doork frame and illustrates how the closing arm may be connected thereto;

Fig. llshows a fragmentary transverse section through a door and its frame and illustrates how my door check may be installed inthe door casing with the `closing arm connected to the door;

Fig. 12shows a section taken onthe Vline 12-12 of Fig. '11. and illustrates further details of construction; v

Fig. 13 shows a perspective view'off VtheJ which constitutesua post.

means vthe tension of the said spring may be adjusted.

installed, as illustrated in Fig. l11.

removable side wall shown as removed in Fig. 12; A Y

Fig. 14 shows a fragmentary, perspective view of a door casing and further illustrates how my door check may be installed therein; and

Fig. 15 shows a fragmentary view of the jamb of the door casing with my door check Referring now to Figs. 1 to 9, I will lrst describe my door check as installed entirely within a door with its closing arm connected to the door jamb.

My door check comprisesv a rectangular relatively 'narrow housing a provided with a' removable coverplate `b andadapted to be'mortised ywithin a door `2, as illustrated in'Figs. 1, 2,3 and 9. Exterior transverse vflanges aV are provided on the-upperside of the housing a adapted to be secured in complementary grooves at in the mortise of the door to hold the housing firmly against longitudinal displacement. Y'

vmodate a limited movement ofthe radial arm g and a coil spring k is mounted within the annular element e, one end of which is connected to the crank element e in a notch j and the other end of said coil spring Vis connected in one of a number ofnotches 1I, c" in the base of the inner wallv k of the recess d By these latter slot or guideway 5 is provided in the housing, arranged parallel with its upper l. edge and intersecting the opening Z in the walll f. A complementary boss b is provided on the inner surface of the cover plate b and constitutes a closure for the adjacent 'side ofthe said slot 5. A slide 6 is mounted in the slot 5 provided with a socket 7 -in which the 'end of the radial armv 'g bears. A short closing'- arm 8 is pivotally connected to the said slide 6 on a pin 6a for lateral movement in the plane of'movement of the slide 6. The-other end of the closing arm 8 is pivotally connected to a fastening element 10 adaptedto be secured to the jamb 4 of the door frame.

R'ngs m, m?, see'FigsgS andl, are provided'between they coil spring h and the interior wall of the'recess d. V,The ring is provided witha. pin a adapted to be vengaged inthe notch z' in which the end of the spring k is inserted to hold the same in place. The

rings m are freely rotatable and serve as anti-friction meansto permit the said spring,

Vas it is contracted by the opening of the door, to move freely against the said interior wall or post it.

Further, a roller element y is provided in the socket 7 of the closing arm 8 against which the radial arm g will bear under the influenceof the spring c.

A ,chamber or cavity 20 is provided in the lower portion of the exterior wall f of the recess d, and apistonelement 21 is provided on the exterior of the said annular element e,

l'movable therewith in the chamber 20. An.

incompressible fluid such as oil is provided in the chamber 20, the opposite ends of which are connected by a -by-pass 22 tof'permit the How of the oil .from one end of the chamber to the other. A port'2t is provided in the annular element e to permit vthe fluid to escape fromA the chamber 2O on one side the piston into the recess d. A regulating valve is provided in the by-pass 22 to'regulate the amount of voil owing therethrough and the degree of resistance to be imposed on the closing movement of the door.

Such valve comprises a pin 22a provided with a threaded vhea'dg22b threaded in -the open end of the by-pass 22 so'as to be readily adjustable, and a valve seat 22e threaded in the opposite end so as to be also readily adjustable. In order to prevent possible leakage of oil past the head V225 or valve seat 220, I have provided plates 22d adapted to be secured closelyover the ends of said bypass.

Further, a reliefport 26 is provided in the by-passl 22 communicating with the chamber 20 spaced fromtheend of the bypass 22 adjacent the left side of the chamber 20, in Fig. 2, the width of the piston 21. 1 A duct 27 is provided in the piston 21V having grooves 23 and 23a communicating respectively with each side thepiston, and'a :ball check valve 29 is provided in the said duct 27 to permit flow ofthe fluid' in only 4one direction. -K y f 'Anoil groove m is provided in the wall f of the recess d andj a port n is provided in the annular elemente, adapted to register with saidv oil groove m and drain loff and return-the oil collected therein back into the recessld.

' Further, the cover plate b is secured to the v housing by a centrallygarranged screw 35 threaded into` the post L which is of less height than the'exterior wall f' of the recess al, so vthat when 'the screw isV tightened the lplatewill be drawn closely against the edges ofthe housing aand onto the wall la thus Vholding them in fluid tight contact to'prevent the leakage ofoil' therefrom',V Supplementary fastening-screws b2 are also provided'about Yso the perimeter of the side plate to hold the said plate in position. Y

In the operation of my door check, as illustrated in Figs. l to 3, when the door is opened, the closing arm 8, which is secured to the door jamb 4, see Figs. 8 and l0, pulls the radial arm g anti-clockwise and rotates the annular element e against the tension of the coil spring lo, which is adjusted to be normally under tension when the door is closed,

thereby to hold the door closely at all times against the door jamb. Simultaneously the piston 21 forces the oil from the chamber out through the by-pass 22 and through the port 24, in the latter instance, so that pressure against the oil will be quickly released and the opening of the door will not be resisted. Further the duct 26 in the ton which is controlled by the ball valve 29 permits the oil to flow readily from one side the piston to the other.

Then when the door has been opened and is released, it is closed by the force of the spring c, which was tensioned by the opening of the door, on the radial arm g and the-j closing arm 8, which draws the door towards the frame to close it.

However, the closing movement of the door rotates the annular element e clockwise and therewith the piston 2l against the fluid in the chamber 20, which may only flow slowlv therefrom through the by-pass 22, the ball valve 29 having closed the duct 26 so that the closing movement of the door is thus retarded and its slamming against the door j amb prevented. However, just as the door is nearly closed, the relief port 26 is uncovered by the piston 2l, so that the pressure on the oil is relieved by being permitted to dow directly7 into chamber 20. rIhre door is thus then brought sharply against the jamb by the force of spring L, to overcome the drag of the door latch on the strike and cause the latch to engage the strike in the usual manner.

By these means I have provided a compact and efficient door check of such dimensions as to be wholly contained within the dimensions of the door and having a closing arm 8 of such limited lateral movement that it is entirely contained within the dimensions of the door.

With reference now to Figs. 1l to 15, I will describe how my door` check may be installed in the door casing with the closing arm connected to the door which has this advantage that in this installation my door check will be entirely concealed not even side cover plates being required. Y

In these figures, the construction and operation of my door check is exactly the same as before described, and like parts will be indicated by like reference characters with reference to Figs. l to 10.

In Fig. 1l the housing a is located in the door frame with the closing arm 8 extending from the j amb as at 4l and connected to a bracket 42' secured to the edge of the door 43. Fastening plates 44, 45 are provided for adapting the housing to this installation where required. This is particularly desirable in that my door check may be more effectively concealed in the housingV than when it is located in the door.

I claim:

1. In a door check, a housing provided with an annular chamber having a lower end exterior cavity for holding a liquid, a spring controlled checking member oscillatable inl said chamber, such member provided withV` a radial piston operative in said cavity, a duct connecting the opposite ends Vof said cavity, said checking member traversing said cavity and provided with a duct on one side of said piston to permit the passage of the liquid," and a relief port connecting said duct with said cavity and opened and closed by the movement of said piston.

2. In a door check, a housing provided with an annular chamber having a lower end eX` terior cavityefor holding a liquid, a spring controlled checking member oscillatable in said chamber, such member provided with a radial piston operative in said cavity, a duct connecting the opposite ends of said cavity, said checking member traversing said cavity and provided with a duct on one side of said piston to permit the passage of the liquid, a relief port connecting said duct with said cavity and opened and closed by the 100 movement of said piston, a groove in the wall of said chamber and a port in said checking member adapted to cooperate with said groove, whereby the liquid collecting between i said chamber wall and said checking mem-r105 kber will be permitted to draw back into said cavity.

3. In a door check, a housing having a removable cover plate, and a central post encompassed by an annular chamber, the lat- 110 Vter having a lower end exterior cavity for holding a liquid, a. spring coiled about said post, an annular checking member oscillatable in said chamber about, and connected with said spring, such checking memberC traversing said cavity and provided with a radial piston operative therein, means permitting thedisplacement of the liquid in said cavity from one side to the other, by the movement of the piston, more rapidly ini-320 the opening than in the closing of the door and means whereby to draw and secure the said cover plate in liquid'tight relation with the walls of said chamber.

4. In a door check, a housing having a re-'25 movable cover plate, and a central postencompassed b y an annular chamber, thelatter having aflower end exterior cavity for Aholding a liquid, a spring coiled about said post, an annular checking memberoscillat- 55130 engaging said reciprocable member, means ablervin'said chamber about, and connected lating member' inone direction, means in with said spring, such checking member part cooperating with said post, whereby lto traversing saidcavity and provided with a draw and secure said cover plate in liquid mitting the -displacement-of the liquid in saidcavity from oneside to the other, by Y the movement of the piston, more rapidly 1n the opening than in the closing of the door,

and means in part cooperating With said post whereby to draw and secure the said cover plate in liquid tightrelation with the Walls of said chamber.

5. In a door check, a ,housing havinga re- .movable cover plate, anda central post encompassed by an annular chamber, the latter having a lower-.end exterior cavity for Vholding a liquid, a springcoiled about said post, an annular checking memberos'cillatable in .said chamber about, and connected with said spring, such checking memberV traversing -said cavityand provided with a radial'piston operative therein, means permitting'the displacement of the liquid in said cavity from one side to the other,` by the movement of the piston, more rapidly in the opening than in the closing ofthe door, and transverse shouldersfprovided on the' exterior Vof the said housing at one end, adapted to hold the housing firmly in place inthe door mem-V ber against the pull of the checking means.

' 6. In a door check, a housing having a removable cover-plate, and provided` with a central post encompassed by an annular chamber,the Walls of the chamber diverging'upv'vardly and provided With certain elements oi arguideway, the cover-plate provided-With a complementary element of said guide'way, a member reciprocable in said guideway and an articulate connection therefrom to a door member, a spring-controlled checking-member oscillatable in said chamfor imposing resistanceV through the `medium of a liquid to the oscillation of said oscillating member in one direction, means wherebyY to draw andvsecure said cover plate in liquid tight relation Withthe Walls of said chamber.V f, i

7. In adoor'check, Ya housing having a removable cover-plate, and provided with a central post encompassed by an'annular chamber, the Walls ofthe chamber diverging upwardly andfpiovided with certain elements of a guideway, the `cover-pla'terpro- Yfrom to adoor member, a spring-controlled checking-member oscillatable in said chamfber, such member provided with a radial arm 1 engaging said Areciprocable member, means v'or lmposingresistance through the medium of a liquidy to thei oscillation of said oscilc radial piston operative therein, means pertight relation with the Walls of said chamber. 

